AP®BiologyCollege BoardStudy GuidesUnit 7: Natural SelectionNatural Selection & Artificial SelectionArtificial Selection

Artificial Selection (College Board AP® Biology): Study Guide

Ruth Brindle

Written by: Ruth Brindle

Reviewed by: Naomi Holyoak

Updated on

Artificial selection

  • Humans can influence the variation present in other species as follows:

    • individuals with desirable traits are chosen

    • these individuals are bred together

    • offspring from the cross with the desirable traits are chosen and bred together

    • this is repeated over many generations until the frequency of the desired characteristic increases

  • This practice is also known as selective breeding

  • Examples of artificial selection include:

    • increased milk yield from cattle

    • faster racehorses

    • disease-resistant crops

Diagram showing evolution from original wild Brassica to cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, and Brussels sprouts, with labelled arrows.
Artificial selection can be used to breed crop varieties with desirable features

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Artificial selection can be used to enhance expression of a single desired trait or to combine several desired traits together in a single individual, e.g. farmers may aim to breed plants with a high yield, disease resistance and the ability to grow in poor soil.

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    Author
    Reviewer
    Ruth Brindle

    Author: Ruth Brindle

    Expertise: Biology Content Creator

    Ruth graduated from Sheffield University with a degree in Biology and went on to teach Science in London whilst also completing an MA in innovation in Education. With 10 years of teaching experience across the 3 key science disciplines, Ruth decided to set up a tutoring business to support students in her local area. Ruth has worked with several exam boards and loves to use her experience to produce educational materials which make the mark schemes accessible to all students.

    Naomi Holyoak

    Reviewer: Naomi Holyoak

    Expertise: Biology Content Creator

    Naomi graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in Biological Sciences. She has 8 years of classroom experience teaching Key Stage 3 up to A-Level biology, and is currently a tutor and A-Level examiner. Naomi especially enjoys creating resources that enable students to build a solid understanding of subject content, while also connecting their knowledge with biology’s exciting, real-world applications.